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Storefront bollards are a simple upgrade that can prevent devastating crashes—improve safety, compliance and continuity.
Published on April 15, 2026
2-minute read
Storefront bollards help prevent vehicle crashes, protecting people while reducing serious liability and downtime.
From a risk management standpoint, storefront bollards or other protective barriers are critical because they address high frequency and severity hazards that directly impact employee and general public safety and an organization's financial liability.
Prevention of “pedal error” and accidental crashes
- High risk zones: Storefronts with “nose in” parking are particularly vulnerable to pedal errors, where drivers accidentally press the accelerator instead of the brake.
- Injury mitigation: *Approximately 100 vehicle into building crashes occur daily in the US, resulting in roughly 16,000 injuries and 2,600 deaths annually. Many victims are employees working near glass storefronts or checkout counters.
- Insurance impact: Preventing these catastrophic injuries directly reduces the number of high cost insurance claims, including long term disability payments and missed workdays.
Risk mitigation and insurance premiums
- Due diligence: Installing ASTM impact rated bollards or other protective barriers demonstrates due diligence in protecting staff. Failure to install barriers in known high risk areas can be viewed as a failure to maintain a safe workplace.
- Some insurers may consider physical risk mitigation measures as one of many factors during underwriting, subject to their individual guidelines and risk appetite, which may result in premium reductions.
Regulatory compliance Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
- General Duty Clause 5(a)(1): While no specific OSHA standard mandates bollards for all retail fronts, OSHA’s general safety standards require employers to protect workers from recognized hazards.
- Safety barriers: OSHA parking lot general requirements for physical barriers often cite bollards and/or crash rated planter bollards (spaced 3–5 feet apart) as an approved engineering control to prevent workplace injuries.
Operational protection
- Internal hazards: Beyond the storefront, bollards are often used internally to protect employees from forklifts or pallet jacks in loading docks and warehouses.
- Business continuity: A storefront crash can shut down a business for weeks. Preventing this protects the invaluable peace of mind of staff and ensures continued operational stability.